Saturday

Wade Hamilton had us up early this morning so I got on the computer first thing to check some blogs. I have not had time the last few weeks to read much but now perhaps I can begin again. I have read those on my list that have posted in the last 24 hours.

I can now take my cup of coffee upstairs and add another row to my quilt. If I keep pegging away at this I might even get it together and ready for the next step.


Two are assembled.


Three rows.....
All four rows ready for the sashing rows...

All the sashing rows done. Ready for assembly...

I did get two rows together completely before it was time to stop for the day.

Lem wants to head off Cape for Wal-Mart in Plymouth. That is a big adventure for us..... I have my list all made and we will head out soon. Lem took the dogs out for a walk before we leave and look at how he brought poor Wade Hamilton back. Poor thing is so low to the ground and fuzzy that he picks up everything. A bath is in his future.

One Step Forward and Two Steps Back

In January the Bead Society of Cape Cod planned a class on making a bracelet. Peg and I went to Hyannis to purchase our necessary supplies. There was homework with this class. Before I got my homework done the class was canceled because of the weather. It was reschedule for last night. Yesterday morning I got up early to get my homework done. Just as I was finishing, Lem tripped and fell in the hallway on the ceramic tile floor. We ended up going for exrays and of course he had a cracked rib. I called Peg and cancelled going out for the evening. He was still uncomfortable and I really did not want to leave him. I do hope I can get the directions for this bracelet from someone since I now have time and money invested in it.



I mentioned last week that I was using up the skein of red and gold yarn I found in the basement. Here are the results. They are now bagged and in the car to take to Joan. She gives them to some organization that passes them out to children in need. Knowing how easy it is to lose hats and mittens I am glad to use up the yarn.

At Last a Stitch or Two

Yesterday morning I finally got upstairs to do a bit of stitching. I began working on the second Stash Quilt designed by Judy Laquidara of Patchwork Times fame. I got all the pieces cut and it was time to dress for work.


Then the phone rang and it was the realtor asking to show the house at 1:30. That meant calling in late and getting all of our personal things put away.

Now I have two empty plastic totes for the dog things. One for their beds and one for the sheets we put down to protect the floors. The shopping bag of toys and all their food dishes go in the garage. Wade's crate is folded up and put in the garage. Ahhh... the house is ready and I am off to work.

This morning I went back upstairs and got all the colored bits put together.




Then I finished four sashing strips in order to get one row together. I can hardly believe I actually made that. Yes I am a great Judy Laquidara fan. Her patterns are easy to follow. The way she puts things together make it look much more complicated than it really is. What can I say, she just makes me look good and who doesn't like that.


Maybe by tomorrow at this time I will have all four rows done.

Open House

I had great plans for this holiday weekend. We had an open house Saturday afternoon. That meant Lem and I had to get the house in mint condition by 1:00 PM. We got everything done, got the children loaded into the car and headed out to do errands....

I took a few pictures of the house since it was looking good.



I had the table set. It is a lovely view out the back window. Lem and I had planted a few flowers but they aren't blooming much yet. It is a pleasant place to sit and eat.




I only have two place settings of those dishes. That is all they had. Total cost for the plates and placemats was $10.00... The glasses were $2.50 each and the candle holders I picked up at the free shop. Now the candles are another story. They cost $3.50 EACH..... Highway robbery...but they are exactly what I needed to complete the look.

The flowers came from our yard. Some Lilly of the Valley, a few pansies, a couple of sprigs of bleeding heart and a touch of honeysuckle.

That looked so good that I found another votive holder and picked a few more flowers.


A picture of the fireplace.


A view of a clean kitchen.............


Another kitchen view.


Master bedroom cleaned and ready.


And how could I resist another flower arrangement.




Yesterday I recovered from all my efforts on Saturday. Just sat around and enjoyed being with Lem.

Today I worked on my list a bit more. Chores done and once more I spent time in the garage. Robert calls it rearranging the deck chairs on the Titantic. I did pack the items that had found their way to the workbench and we loaded the car with things to go to the transfer station.. Around here you have to take off your own garbage... There are company's that offer that service but the price is a bit high and Lem and I do need something to fill the weekends.

Last week I found a skein of red and a skein of gold Red Heart yarn in the basement. They came upstairs with me and I have been sitting in my chair mindlessly knitting hats and mittens. Pictures tomorrow.

A Finish or Two

I do have a couple of finishes to report so far. I finally finished the Wonder Wallets. There are two in each stack giving me a total of 60 completed.

I have them in a bag and I am letting my friends pick out several for themselves and a friend.



I am counting this as finished even though he needs a button on his ribbon. Now to select the fabric for this month. Peg reminded me that I will soon be late for that block if I don't start soon.




I have also finished another block for Leanne's House... four done five to go.



My 'beside the chair' bag was empty which meant I needed to get some things prepped and ready to stitch for those days when I need to sit.



I finished one of the free designs from Gail Pan. She also has a new Christmas pattern available. All I need to do is stitch the binding and it will be ready to hang.



I enjoyed doing it so much that I traced another one to stitch.





Three months of the Jan Patek 2008 BOM ready to stitch.




I have all four Wonky houses traced and ready to stitch. They were designed by Jenny of Elefantz.


Peace is ready to stitch. It is another Gail Pan design.




And a drumroll please.............. I am ahead on my One a Day Quilt Along inspired by Amanda at Crazy Mom Quilts.

Any Help .......

would be appreciated. If you are not sure what this is a picture of, then click on the picture to enlarge....


What, still don't know? It is a plate of brownies.


I have three boxes of cocoa for some reason and I am trying to use it up. I found a recipe for brownies that called for 1/3 cup and that seemed like it would help me with the problem.

The last time i tried brownies I used a box mix. Yes, I did over cook them. Hockey pucks would have been easier to eat.

The recipe said DO NOT OVERCOOK. It also said to cook for 25 to 30 minutes. At the end of 25 minutes I checked... Hmmm.. still rather soupy in the center. 30 minutes I checked. A bit better but still not firm at all. 33 minutes. Still not firm but the edge seems to be VERY firm.

I took them out and they sort of fell in the center. The recipe had icing to put in them and the instructions were to put in while the brownies were hot. So I did. Can you tell they didn't turn out too well. My sister said that perhaps my cocoa was out of date. Who knew that cocoa had a sell by date. I haven't checked that yet and if I do and it is past I am not telling. After all, my sister is always right and why give her one more thing to laugh about......Any suggestions?

Okay, I looked and I could not find a expiration date....... Lem tried a piece and said that it tasted good......I am glad because he has a plate full of them to eat.

We Are...

up early this morning. The realtor called yesterday afternoon and asked if someone could look at the house today at 2:30.

We both get just a bit excited but I am trying not to.

While my husband is really wonderful, he tends to see a problem in everything. Remember they are not coming until this afternoon and I agreed to come home for an hour to make sure all was well but he started putting things away. Like the laundry basket downstairs beside the washing machine instead of in the bathroom where we keep it for convenience. Yes, we will need to put our dirty clothes in it this morning so he had to go back downstairs to get it.

I have been awake since 4:00 AM but did not get up until 5:00. I went upstairs to make sure everything was put away in the studio. He got up earlier than usual and now wants to "get the house" ready. Well, we vacuumed and dusted and did all the laundry on Saturday. Just how bad can it be. Really now.

The dishwasher is running and as soon as I finish this post I will fix lunches and polish the top of the stove. Everything else is really last minute, putting the dog crate and all the dog beds (they have one for each room) in the car. Putting the bedspread for SHOW on the bed with the quilt folded on the bottom . Shining the sink with Sheila Shine. Putting the children in the car and then leaving the house while someone looks at it. They aren't even coming until 2:30 - eight hours from now. Think we can be ready?

Surprise - Surprise

Saturday morning we had a Fed Ex delivery............ Pro Flowers..................

Life is so much easier for us these days. Without even leaving home or even getting dressed to go out you can send your mother flowers direct from Holland...............




Packed so nicely and a card is even enclosed.



They even come with a vase and flower food.


Now I can enjoy them for some time to come.

A Stitch or Two Here and There

I did get a wee bit of stitching done this weekend. I cut out 30 more Wonder Wallets. If all goes well I can get them stitched up this coming weekend.



I also got my fabric together for Judy's Scrap Quilt. I even managed to get started on that project.


Here are the blocks I have put together already. I don't have many brights so it was a stretch to find enough fabric in my stash for this quilt but I finally did.



I can already tell that I am going to enjoy this quilt.

Wee Gifties

I signed on for the Birthday Siggy swap (I did mention earlier that I was a real pushover for siggy swaps).

Since everyone deserves a gift on their birthday so I thought I would enclose a Wonder Wallet with each one.

When I got home from work yesterday I cut out 20 of them. They don't take long to cut and you can get two from one fat quarter. I then sorted them into colors that could use the same thread color. Changing the thread can eat up time. Especially if you have to fill a bobbin too. No I do not have a sidewinder but if anyone gave one to me as a gift I would enjoy using it. I mention this only because sometimes my daughter reads this blog and I thought I could give her a hint.


Here they are, all lined up with the correct thread and pressed and ready to stitch. Time to go downstairs for the evening.


This morning I got 14 of them sewn. Six more to go.


I made these years ago for friends and my Dear Lu asked if I could make a few for her friends too. "Of course", I said but alas I never got it done. I called her last night and suggested she stop by before I mail them off to select the ones she wanted. I will probably make 10 more next week. Tomorrow is breakfast with the girls and mornings are when I can sew.

Saturday I will be in the garage packing up some odds and ends and getting that area looking a bit more spiffy.

Sunday is another open house for us. I keep hoping the Lord will find the right buyer for us but so far He has us treading water for some reason. I understand that He knows best but my human nature is wanting to move NOW.

Finishing

Lately I have been giving much thought to finishing and the importance we place on it.

I will confess that I tend to be a bit compulsive obsessive. Doesn't seem that I have seen a quilt I did not want to make. Fabric makes my heart go pitter pat. The more small pieces a quilt has,
the more my heart flutters.

Thanks to the encouragement from some of my fellow bloggers I will say I am at long last enjoying more finishes and starting fewer projects.

I have finally made my list of the projects I have in the studio. I really go oven the top when anyone offers a B0M or if Judy has a new pattern.

Siggies are another weakness of mine. Below are the first of my birthday siggies. This year I am adding a wonder wallet by Lazy Girl. If you don't have one of these you are missing a real handy item. I am moving right along and have one fourth of them done.





The other day there was nothing prepped in my basket by my chair except this Gail Pan design. You can click her link on the side bar. This is a pattern she offered free. I have no idea at this time what fabric I will use for this stitchery or exactly how it will be finished. A small wall hanging or even a pillow. Only time will tell. I am still counting it as a finish for now.


A few days later I prepped the April block from Gail Pan. I have two of them stitched with fabric but I am not to happy with the choice. It is what I had on hand. I am not going to add the borders to anymore but look for a fabric I like better first.

One of my Long Term Projects is the ubiquitous Grandmother's Flower Garden. I have been working on this since 2005. No, not consistently but every once in a while the muse brings this to mind and I add a few more flowers. Well, all the flowers are done and now we are in the assembly stage. FINISH? I sure do hope to. SOON... Probably not. I am enjoying this adventure. I have gotten pleasure from every stitch I placed in this quilt. I have stitched it at home and on car and plane journeys. This quilt has traveled with me to North Carolina and back more than once. And when it is done I will remember those times while I wrap it around me.


This past weekend I cut all the rest of the strips of fabric for the pathways. Now I can just cut out the hexagon shapes

and iron on the freezer paper. I will be working on this for many more days and nights. But who is in a hurry?


Finishing is nice but so is the journey. I will be much more thoughtful about any project I begin and I will be finishing many more than I start but I will alter my pace and savor the time I spend with my needle much more than ever before.